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Tips to speed up the sale of your house
- Think like a buyer
Before doing anything else, you will want to walk through and around your house. As you are doing this, think like a buyer and make a list of anything that might need to be changed
- Make necessary repairs
You should always try to repair any minor or major flaws prior to selling your home. Buyers may not notice every repair, but they will notice every repair you don’t make
- Remove the clutter
The number one rule of home selling is to remove all clutter. The less clutter you have, the easier it will be for the buyer to look at the actual item they are buying: the house
- Make it light and bright
Lighting is one of the most important aspects of interior decorating. If you can't get enough natural light from windows, consider adding recessed lights and other attractive sources of artificial light
- Make your home odour free
When a buyer enters your home, every major sense will come into play. This may mean cleaning or freshening carpets or you can use candles to infuse a nice fresh smell
- Remove personal items
Buyers want to see a home they are viewing as their home. It may be difficult to de-personalize your home, especially if you are still living there, but it is a necessary step to optimise selling potential
- Arrange furniture for optimal effect
You should always arrange furniture for optimal effect. You want the rooms to look spacious and open. You also want to be able to create a smooth traffic flow within a room and from room to room
- Give your house curb appeal
The term "curb appeal" refers to the first impression buyers get when seeing your home for the first time. A well mowed lawn, a clean and tidy area by the front door, good lighting are all ways to give your home the curb appeal it needs to make a good first impression
- Add a fresh coat of paint
A fresh coat of paint can work wonders on everything from walls and ceilings to fences and shutters. Just remember to keep things light and neutral, as some buyers shy away from bright, bold and dark colours
- Price your home to sell
While you may want to get as much money as possible out of your home sale, you will stand little chance of selling quickly or even selling at all if the home is overpriced. This is why it is essential that you know your market before setting a price. Halifax Estate Agents offer free market valuations – simply give us afew details online and we'll be in touch to arrange this with you
- Be willing to negotiate with buyers
The offers you receive from buyers may well be below the asking price of the home. Instead of responding to an insulting offer with a flat refusal, negotiate. You don’t have to drop the price significantly, but you could bring the asking price down by a small amount then give the buyer another opportunity to evaluate their offer
- Use feedback to make improvements
If you are getting potential buyers but no offers, you will need to find out what the problem could be. It might be the price, it might be the layout of the home, and it might be the size of the garden. Whatever the problem, try to make the desired improvements. Halifax Estate Agency will give you feedback after every viewing, to help make your home sell fast. Find out why Halifax Estate Agents have been voted 'Best Estate Agency' for the second year running
Need a little help?
Speak to one of our Mortgage Advisers:
- By phone - Call us on 08458 50 37 05
- Apply at your local branch or Halifax Estate Agency - Find your nearest branch or Halifax Estate Agency and book an appointment with a professionally qualified Mortgage Adviser
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